RECOMMENDED
The Windy City Winds recently celebrated their Third Season Fall Concert at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Chicago, playing a selection of American Originals. The program covered a thoughtful selection of American music suitable for wind, brass and percussion.
Windy City Winds is a not-for-profit adult community concert band founded on the premise that many accomplished musicians who were music majors or played instruments in college have little opportunity to play seriously after graduation, particularly if they do not pursue musical careers.
The 55 talented volunteer players age twenty-one and over are all experienced playing at the college level.
Mark and Sarah Mosley co-founded Windy City Winds in September 2015 and serve together as Music Directors.
Mark Mosley is an articulate and engaging conductor. He enthusiastically opened the first half of the concert with the very familiar and playful “Overture to Candide” by Leonard Bernstein partly in homage to the composer’s upcoming 100th birthday being celebrated in 2018.
They continued with “Night Song” by Joliet native Ron Nelson featuring a rare euphonium solo by Eon G. Cooper. The rich basso instrument takes charge of the central theme and sings sweetly with a low lyrical line through the entire piece.
You almost can’t get more uniquely American than Charles Ives, in this case the “Fugue in C.” The program notes describe Ives as “nostalgically quoting popular, patriotic and church music from his youth, while boldly embracing dissonance and experimenting with polytonality, rhythmic complexity and tone clusters.”
The band concluded the first half with “Chester” based on the patriotic tune of William Billings which became the unofficial hymn of the Revolutionary War. This variation is composed by Pulitzer Prize winning American composer William Schuman who in 1961 became president of the NYC Lincoln Center for Performing Arts.
After a brief intermission Sarah Good Mosley conducted the six movement “Divertimento for Band, op. 42” by Vincent Persichetti described as “…distinctly urban and American – energetic, lonely, humorous, and nostalgic.”
She followed next with ”October” by popular contemporary composer Eric Whitacre who is largely known for his choral music as the artist-in-residence at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. His composition “Sleep” inspired the work of Dutch born artist and current Wisconsin resident Anne Horjus ..
Mark Mosley closed the concert with “Chorale and Shaker Dance” by John Zdechlik. “The short chorale theme is original, while the Shaker melody ‘Simple Gifts’ is familiar to many.”
Windy City Winds will perform two concerts in 2018 at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 2335 N. Orchard St.in Chicago: March 9, “Cityscapes” Winter Concert, and May 11, “Adventures” Spring Concert. Admission is free (donations welcome). For more Information visit Windy City Winds.
Reno Lovison
Related: Ann Horjus article.